Report: Red Sox hire Farrell_BINARY_944797

Sunday

Oct 21, 2012 at 12:19 AM

BOSTON -- The Red Sox got their man

Tim Britton

BOSTON -- The Red Sox got their man.

According to a report from CSNNE, Boston has come to terms with Toronto's John Farrell to become the 46th manager in Red Sox history. The two sides have reportedly agreed to a three-year deal through the 2015 season.

WEEI.com has reported that Mike Aviles will head to Toronto as compensation. Per MLB rules, the Blue Jays have to include a player in the trade as well to Boston.

Farrell has been the frontrunner to succeed Bobby Valentine since Valentine was fired on October 4, if not before. He returns to the organization in which he served as a successful pitching coach for four years prior to landing his first managerial job in 2011 with Toronto.

During his two seasons with the Blue Jays, Farrell posted a 154-170 record with a pair of fourth-place finishes. He had one year remaining on his contract with Toronto, who has appeared more willing to allow Farrell to walk after a 73-89 campaign than it was following his 81-81 debut in 2011.

The Sox coveted Farrell for a variety of reasons. First, he owns a familiarity with the organization dating to his time as the team's pitching coach from 2007 to 2010. After a season that saw Valentine struggle to work with members of the front office, the coaching staff and his own players, Farrell brings with him instant credibility in the Boston clubhouse.

Second, Farrell's expertise overlaps with the team's greatest current weakness: the starting rotation. Both Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz came of age under Farrell's tutelage, and they both had their best seasons in 2010 before Farrell's departure. Lester, in particular, struggled mightily this past season.

Finally, Farrell comes from a player development background, dating to his time as the farm coordinator for the Cleveland Indians from 2001 to 2006. During that time, he worked closely with current Red Sox assistant general manager Mike Hazen.

Farrell does not come without questions. The Blue Jays won 86 games the year prior to his arrival; their win total decreased in each of his two seasons. The pitching staff, even accounting for injuries, did not perform up to par, specifically left-hander Ricky Romero. And concerns about Farrell's ability to discipline the younger core of his team arose late in the year, when shortstop Yunel Escobar was suspended for wearing eye black containing a homophobic slur. The typically reserved Omar Vizquel was outspoken in his criticism of the coaching staff as a whole in September.

It is clear, however, that Farrell has been the focal point of Boston's search since the start of the offseason. Once negotiations reportedly started this week, his hiring became an inevitability.

On the day Valentine was fired, Cherington stressed that Boston was looking in a different direction this offseason than last.

"The right person for the Red Sox for 2013 and beyond is not necessarily the right person for someone else and may not have been the right person for us five years ago," Cherington said. "We need to find out who that person is to help build some stability in that office and find somebody who can work in a collaborative way with ownership, myself, baseball ops, the players, to push this organization forward and restore it to where it should be."

Boston's deal with Farrell came late on October 20 -- roughly six weeks earlier than the date they hired Valentine last winter. In fact, Cherington had yet to be hired as general manager 366 days ago. Thus, Farrell should have ample time to build a cohesive coaching staff to his liking -- something Valentine was not necessarily afforded last winter.

Aviles proved an adequate everyday shortstop in 2012, hitting .250 with a .282 on-base percentage and 13 home runs. His 60 RBIs tied for fourth on the team. He more than held his own defensively, answering offseason questions about his glove by saving 14 runs -- tied for fourth-most among all shortstops.

Aviles, however, saw his playing time drastically reduced in the final month of the season, as he was supplanted by Jose Iglesias. The Red Sox still have Iglesias and Pedro Ciriaco to compete for a job at shortstop next spring.